How to Find the Right LPN Program near Lake Preston South Dakota
There are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Lake Preston SD. The one that may be concluded in the shortest period of time, commonly about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the core curriculum adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
What is an LPN?
Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they perform in the Lake Preston SD healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including South Dakota. While they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their everyday job functions might include:
- Taking vital signs
- Giving medications
- Initiating IV drips
- Observing patients
- Collecting blood or urine samples
- Keeping patient records
- Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures
In addition to their occupational functions being regulated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Lake Preston SD healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
LPN Programs Online
Enrolling in LPN programs online is emerging as a more preferred way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Lake Preston SD. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and household responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.
LPN Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) was $45,030 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $61,030. Most licensed practical nurses near Lake Preston SD work full time, although about 1 in 5 worked part time in 2016. Many work nights, weekends, and holidays, because medical care takes place at all hours. They may be required to work shifts of longer than 8 hours. Employment of LPNs is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026. Job prospects should be favorable for LPNs who are willing to work in rural and medically under served areas.
Questions to Ask LPN Programs
Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Lake Preston SD as well as within South Dakota and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school and the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the other programs.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Lake Preston SD.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only provides an outstanding education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for South Dakota or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, contact the South Dakota school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Lake Preston SD healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN schools you are considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Lake Preston SD healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
- Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with local Lake Preston SD community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Lake Preston SD?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Lake Preston SD, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Lake Preston, South Dakota
A post office called Preston was established in 1879, and the name was changed to Lake Preston in 1882.[7] The town site was platted in 1881.[8] It was located in the Dakota Territory at the time. The city took its name from nearby Lake Preston.[9]
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 599 people, 295 households, and 162 families residing in the city. The population density was 788.2 inhabitants per square mile (304.3/km2). There were 346 housing units at an average density of 455.3 per square mile (175.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.3% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 295 households of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.1% were non-families. 40.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.77.
Select the Right LPN Program near Lake Preston SD
Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important phase to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are many aspects that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this post, it is important that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Vocational Nurse Program. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Lake Preston SD.
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